Empire of S M Sultan

'Lal Mia' was born on 10th August, 1923 in a poor family living in Masimdia village, beside the river Chitra, under Narail district. Sheikh Mohammad Messer Ali, the father of Lal Mia was a mason by profession. Who then knew that Lal Mia, an apprentice to his father's masonry, would become the magician with paint and colours? Many of you must be wondering who this Lal Mia is. It is my privileges to let you, dear readers, know that Lal Mia is none other than legendary artist Sheikh Mohammad Sultan, popularly known as S M Sultan, who is considered one of the greatest painters in the sub-continent. 

In 2006, in memory of the legend, 'S M Sultan Memorial Museum' was established next to river Chitra, Narail.  

Upon entering, you would find a mosaic portrait of S M Sultan, created by Bimanesh Chandra Biswas, Chairman, Department of Drawing and Painting, Institute of Fine Arts, Khulna University. He was also a student of the Institute of Fine Arts (Shishu Swarga) founded by S M Sultan. S M Sultan is resting in peace just next to it. On the other side, there is the house, where the artist lived with his adopted daughter, Nihar Bala and his pets. The garden surrounding by the house creates a gorgeous and fascinating environment for the visitors.

Inside the house, there is a small library of the artist with a few books and memorabilia. A ramshackle wooden bed, in which he used to sleep and a wooden rack for putting his clothes are still in the next room.  Furthermore, there is a heavy metal chest next to the wooden rack. 

The two-storied museum is filled with memories of the legendary artist, which carry the rich reminder of his artworks. Although some of the items have disappeared over the years, there are still some belongings of Sultan- - a Quran, some clothes, paint brushes, a canvas, musical instruments, stick, torch, mirror, vases, photos and many more. 

He had the amazing variety of styles, with ample use of vibrant colours, and it is proved in all of his paintings. A quick glance at the artworks may help you discover the subject matters of his paintings-- villages and people, the sky, fields, riverbanks, clouds, trees and cottage shelters. You will notice that muscular figures of the farmers depicted in his paintings, and for that even, Sultan had an inspiring reason.

Popular painter, print maker, writer, and Professor of Department of Oriental Art and Faculty of Fine Art, University of Dhaka, Dr Abdus Satter mentions, in his book, "Bangladesher Shilpee O Shilpo" that, "He wanted to awaken the people who are exploited and deprived. He wanted to strengthen the confidence of Bangalis. And that is why; he depicted the muscular men of his imagination with his brushes." 

Apart from the drawings and paintings, there are some sketches of notable personalities on the 2nd floor of the museum. Among the 77 artworks, there is an incomplete one as well. Just a little distance from the museum, a boat is kept, with which Sultan used to take trips on the river Chitra with the children he used to teach drawing and painting. 

The one and only staff Golap Kazi, a 50-year-old man, has been working here for past thirteen years with a very minimal salary. He alone has been performing the duty of gallery guard, sweeper, and care-taker of the museum. He believes that if the government paid some attention to the museum, and appointed some more staff members, it would be convenient for him and the museum as a whole. 

On Fridays, children come here to learn drawing from the teachers. Also, every year, with the initiative of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the Narail District Shilpakala Academy arranges 'Sultan Festival' in the museum premises. The festival includes a number of segments featuring cultural shows, art exhibitions, discussions, art competitions for children, river cruises in Chitra, and much more. 

Every day, people from all over the country come to visit the marvellous creations of the artist. The museum remains open seven days a week from 9 am to 1 pm and 3 pm to 5 pm for visitors, without any entrance fee.